District Project (YSY)
Every year the Pennsylvania District Board chooses one organization or initiative that becomes the Youth Serving Youth (YSY) project for the year. The district board determines how Pennsylvania Key Clubs can support the organization or initiative through service and fundraising. The criteria for selection is based district board research and presentations at a district board meeeting. The district board votes and the organization or initiative with the majority vote is selected as the YSY for the next Key Club year. The new YSY Project is an announced at the annual district convention.
The 2009-10 YSY Project is Caitlin's Smiles.
Caitlin's Smiles is a program to help children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses by giving them hope, laughs and smiles. Their mission is quite simply to put smiles on the faces of children facing chronic or life- threatening illnesses by encouraging them to focus upon creative arts activities to boost their self-confidence and self-worth.
Caitlin's Smiles was named in memory of Caitlin Mary Hornung, who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 1997. For Caitlin, glitter and glue provided a miracle cure. While it couldn't cure the tumor, Caitlin's zest for arts and crafts chased away the blues and kept her smiling. Caitlin passed on in October 2000, but through her mother, family, friends and volunteers, she lives on to put smiles on other ill children's faces.
Pennsylvania Key Clubs are encouraged to donate creative materials for 'Bags of Smiles' kits, volunteer to help create kits to coordinating activities, as well as make monetary donations. For more information on Caitlin's Smiles, visit their website at Caitlin's Smiles.
PLEASE NOTE: Your club must contact Caitlin's Smiles to coordinate how your club would like to participate in the YSY. No club should take anything to any hospitals or work with hospitals directly. Caitlin's smiles will coordinate your efforts. Clubs should keep track of all activities done with Caitlin's Smiles for Pennsylvania Key Club reporting purposes.
Do you have an idea for a future YSY project? Please contact your lt. governor and share your ideas!
- Flyer from the district YSY Project Committee (142.95 KB)
Caitlin's Connections- In the summer issue of Caitlin's Connections, Caitlin's Smiles' newsletter, a page was dedicated to PA Key Club and all the hard work they have done for the organization..Check out page 5 for the article.
- Caitlin's Smile's newletter (1.74 MB)
